Cedar City considers requirement for workers to shape up

CEDAR CITY (AP)  Cedar City officials are considering a different kind of belt-tightening.

In response to rising health insurance costs, city officials are considering a proposal requiring city workers to meet annual health benchmarks or pay a bigger chunk of their healthcare costs.

The city has covered 100 percent of its employees' premiums since 1998. But City Manager Ron Chandler says premiums have increased 11 percent each year on average. That's putting a pinch on city budgets and left leaders looking for ways to trim down.

The proposed "wellness plan" would require those workers that don't meet personalized health plans to pay 20 percent of the insurance costs now covered by the city.

Some city workers, though, worry that it might unfairly penalize those that choose not to participate or those that smoke, have high blood pressure or other conditions.